7 DSGMC members, 1K workers join BJP

Anshita Mehra

New Delhi, April 27

Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in Delhi and Punjab, seven elected members of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC), accompanied by nearly 1,000 workers, joined the BJP today.

While Delhi goes to the polls on May 25, elections will be held in Punjab and Chandigarh on June 1.

BJP president JP Nadda said, “The BJP is the only party which can ensure the unity, integrity and security of the country.”

Nadda reiterated the government’s commitment to the Sikh community, citing opening of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor and registration for donation to the Golden Temple under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act.

The party has addressed “historical grievances”, said Nadda, adding that “we all have seen the way humanity was strangled in 1984 (anti-Sikh riots). PM Modi formed a SIT on the 1984-riots. Today, the culprits are in jail”.

It is for the first time that the BJP would have elected members of the DSGMC in its fold. The seven members who joined the BJP are Jasmeen Singh Noni, Harjeet Singh Pappa, Bhupendra Singh Ginny, Ramandeep Singh Thapar, Ramanjot Singh Mehta, Parvinder Singh Lucky and Manjeet Singh Aulakh.

They had been elected after being fielded by the Sukhbir Singh Badal-led SAD. They later shifted allegiance to the newly formed Shiromani Akali Dal, Delhi, led by Harmeet Singh Kalka, who heads the DSGMC.

On April 19, Kalka had said his party had decided to support Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the Lok Sabha elections. BJP leaders Tarun Chugh, Manjinder Singh Sirsa and Virendra Sachdeva welcomed the seven DSGMC members.

Pappa said, “I joined the BJP because of its policies, especially after seeing the work of the Prime Minister for the Sikh community.”

SGPC slams move

SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami objected to the move, saying if the members were so fond of politics, they should have joined the saffron party after quitting the DSGMC.

‘Seek fresh mandate’

SAD’s Delhi unit chief Paramjit Singh Sarna has called on the seven DSGMC members to relinquish their membership and seek a fresh mandate. Sarna termed the BJP’s move ‘encroachment’.

Matter of pride for us: Nadda

It is a matter of pride and happiness as members of the Sikh community have joined us. JP Nadda, BJP president